Registration is now open! Please register here

Your ticket to the IMGL Autumn 2025 Conference includes full access to all IMGL sessions, networking events, and daily luncheons. The SBC Summit does require a separate registration. Due to our strategic partnership and to ensure maximum value of your time in Lisbon, SBC has graciously offered special passes to attend the Summit for our members and non-members alike. Once registered for the IMGL conference, please email brien@imgl.org for a special discounted code that gets you access to the SBC Summit Expo and Hall!

DELEGATES/SPEAKERS: Those wishing to attend conference sessions and events must register as a delegate. Please choose the delegate category that is appropriate for you. Delegate registration includes all conference sessions, opening reception, conference luncheons, the gala dinner, and closing reception.

NON IMGL MEMBER SPEAKERS: For all speakers who are Non IMGL Members, please register at the speaker rate of $750.00. This includes all conference sessions, opening reception, conference luncheons, gala dinner, and closing reception.

GUESTS: Please register your guest(s) at the same time you register as a delegate. Guest registration includes the Opening Reception, Gala Dinner, and the Closing Reception. Guest registration does not include conference sessions or luncheons.

Want to attend the SBC Summit? Email brien@imgl.org for a special discount code and register here!

CONFERENCE CANCELLATION POLICY:

Cancel by July 31: receive 100% refund.

Cancel between August 1 – August 15: Receive 50% refund.

Cancel between August 15 – August 31: receive 25% refund.

No refunds starting on or after September 1.

Sponsorships are now available for this conference. For information on becoming a sponsor for this event, contact Brien Van Dyke at brien@imgl.org or Phil Savage at phil@imgl.org

Annual 2025 Sponsors

Annual Platinum Sponsor

Clever Advertising

With over 15 years of experience, Clever Advertising is a prominent multinational digital brand serving the iGaming industry. Specializing in Media Buying, SEO, PPC, In-App, and Influencer Marketing across five continents, Clever utilizes advanced technology and data analytics to enhance client acquisition, foster player retention, and promote brand awareness.

Fox Rothschild LLP

www.foxrothschild.com

Fox Rothschild LLP is a full-service law firm serving businesses and individuals domestically and internationally. With 950 attorneys and more than 60 practice areas in 27 offices nationwide, we understand clients’ issues, industries, priorities, need for practical and cost-effective advice, and the way they think. Fox professionals are as committed to your success as you are. Fox has one of the largest gaming law practices in the U.S. and attorneys ranked among the top worldwide in this field by Chambers Global. We advise clients in myriad gaming industry sectors on complex regulatory, licensing, compliance, financing and operational issues.

Annual Gold Sponsor

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)

www.gaminglabs.com

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) is the leading independent testing, assessment, and certification service in the gaming industry. Serving more than 710 jurisdictions, GLI gives you total access into both mature and emerging land-based, iGaming, and sports-wagering markets to help get your products anywhere you want them to go with consistency, speed, and accuracy. Our signature gaming technical standards, are relied upon by gaming regulators, operators, and suppliers the world over. We also offer a wide range of professional services, including world-class educational resources through GLI University® and comprehensive cybersecurity and managed IT services provided by Bulletproof™, a GLI Company. After years of leadership, we haven’t lost sight of why we opened our doors in the first place: To be a trusted, proven advisor, offering an unparalleled range of services designed to empower you to achieve your goals by ensuring that the work we do for you exceeds your expectations.

Jones Walker

https://www.joneswalker.com/en/

The Gaming Practice at Jones Walker offers internationally recognized and industry-leading legal, regulatory, transactional, and litigation counsel to owners, operators, investors, tribes, manufacturers, pari-mutuels, lottery vendors, sweepstakes, and charities throughout the world. Our client base is broad, our gaming experience is deep, and our network of regulatory, tax, and industry contacts is extensive. Taken together, these strengths enable us to provide targeted transactional, legislative, and regulatory solutions, and dispute-resolution services that address today’s challenges in the gaming industry.

Saiber

https://www.saiber.com/

Lawyers for Business, Counselors for Life. For over 60 years, Saiber has approached the practice of law with a dual purpose:  to advocate tenaciously for our clients in times of conflict, and offer guidance and advice in our role as trusted advisors. We continue to uphold this legacy every day, working with a diverse clientele that includes national corporations, closely-held businesses, professional practitioners, families and individuals. Our practice encompasses virtually every area of the law, and ranges from simple, straightforward matters to complex, sophisticated litigation, corporate counseling, mergers and acquisitions and regulatory matters. With thorough preparation, keen insight and immersive knowledge of your business interests, our lawyers are well equipped to represent you at all levels.  We bring the same level of expertise to your corporate and commercial transactions and your personal family matters.

Lektou Advogados

https://lektou.com/

Rato, Ling, Lei & Cortés – Advogados | Lektou is a law office established in the Macau Special Administrative Region with its roots in the law office Gonçalves Pereira & Rato which started its operations on 2 October 1985. With over 35 years of legal practice in Macau, the solid academic profile combined with long experience and full integration in Macau is the guarantee of the quality of the services we provide. Our team comprises qualified professionals able to provide a wide range of legal services. The constant need to update and specialize our professionals, combined with proven professional practice in the various fields of law, enables us to offer a fast, effective, and efficient response to our Clients. The services we provide range from intervention in negotiations, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution hearings to daily and ongoing consultancy and legal advice in the various fields of law. We provide legal services in three languages and in the jurisdictions where we have a presence, with a special focus on Macau SAR, to enhance the value of our Clients. The office also has the significant added value of notarial services, having the professional collaboration of four Private Notaries.

Annual Silver Sponsors

AGEM

https://www.agem.org/

The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) in Las Vegas is a non-profit international trade association representing manufacturers and suppliers of electronic gaming devices, lotteries, systems, table games, key components and support products and services for the gaming industry. AGEM works to further the interests of gaming equipment suppliers throughout the world. Through political action, regulatory influence, trade show partnerships, educational alliances, information dissemination and good corporate citizenship, the members of AGEM work together to create benefits for every company within the organization.

MELCHERS Law

https://www.melchers-law.com/

MELCHERS is a full-service business law firm with approximately 50 lawyers. We have offices in Heidelberg, Frankfurt/Main, Berlin and Mannheim. We advise you on all aspects of business law: in the “classic” fields of business law and additionally in white-collar crime and criminal tax law, in data protection law as well as in private and public building law. We support your entrepreneurial success with personal advice tailored to your needs. You have a fixed contact person at MELCHERS. He or she has your company’s economic goals in mind and coordinates the work of specialists from the various fields of law. Be it for an individual mandate or for ongoing legal advice. If necessary, we consult tax advisors and auditors. We arrange and coordinate legal advice in other jurisdictions through our international law firm network Ally Law and our cooperation partner Transatlantic Law International.

Duane Morris

http://www.DuaneMorris.com

Duane Morris gaming attorneys have unparallelled experience representing all participants in the diverse, and ever-expanding gaming industry. We have the seamless support and vast resources of our full-service international law firm to assist clients in all facets of their businesses and legal needs. In addition to our ability to advise on all aspects of the gaming and gaming-related industries, our team has cultivated firm resources to develop extensive experience in regulatory licensing and approvals, corporate transactions, litigation, commercial arrangements, labor and employment and dispute resolution. We are known for successfully advising our clients on the nuanced aspects of the gaming industry and efficiently navigating the most complex and groundbreaking matters.

At our core, our gaming lawyers have significant and nationwide expertise which extends to advising owners and operators of land-based casinos, sports wagering, online gaming and pari-mutuel offerings as well as vendors, technology providers, sports media companies, and lenders seeking to establish, coordinate, work with and form partnerships with industry participants. We have had a seat at the table for the developments, interpretations and significant issues impacting the gaming industry for decades.

Our attorneys bring valuable expertise and unique skillsets which set us apart. Our team members have a geographical footprint which can strategically support clients when navigating the state-by-state regulatory frameworks and laws. We have built a recognized gaming group that respects and navigates the highly regulated environment but also meets the business needs and other issues which arise in the course of business.  Duane Morris has the team, industry relationships, support and knowledge to be your partner and trusted advisors.

RMC Legal

https://rmclegal.com/

Regulatory Management Counselors P.C. (RMC) is a professional corporation in the state of Michigan, U.S.A. made up of legal, business, governmental and public relations consulting professionals able to service the diverse needs of clients working in the casino gaming industry, as well as other heavily regulated industries. RMC has decades of professional experience servicing the legal and regulatory needs of individuals, businesses, and non-profit corporations working in the gaming industry. Regulated industries require businesses to engage in ongoing reporting and disclosure to key governmental agencies. Working closely with their clients, the professionals at RMC proactively assist in the development of systems and methods to ensure that governmental requirements are fully complied with in a timely and accurate manner. As a result of the global gaming industry’s strict regulatory guidelines and ever-changing technology, specialized knowledge and skills are required to help ensure compliance. RMC stays up to date on the various state, federal and local laws governing gaming.  The professionals at RMC have been involved in the gaming industry in the state of Michigan since its inception and have compiled a comprehensive library of historic resources to assist clients meet their regulatory objectives.   RMC has also developed a comprehensive information tracking and data collection system which allows for immediate access to developments that impact their clients. RMC has established relationships with key regulators and has developed a mature network of legal and consulting professionals to assist clients with the wide range of issues that arise.

Lisbon 2025 Sponsors

Gold Sponsor

SportPesa

http://www.sportpesa.org

SportPesa is a growing technology and entertainment company that is focused on sports entertainment, live scores and sports news. Our technology platforms immediately update sport scores and, in certain markets, offer fully licensed, real money gaming services. We are a brand committed to responsibly delivering our services and investing in the development of grassroots and professional sports and giving back to our communities. We use the power of sport to unify people; connecting customers with excitement, sports clubs with funding and society with opportunities. Our growth has been rapid and sustained across Africa and Europe, enabled by a clear business strategy firmly committed to responsible gaming and best-in-class customer experience, delivered by a talented and dedicated team of professionals.

Closing Reception Sponsor

Bronze Sponsors

Supporting Sponsors

Tuesday, 16 September

Day 1 of SBC Summit
More information on the IMGL Masterclasses will be available soon.

4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
IMGL Member Meeting

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Opening Reception
Portas do Sol

Wednesday, 17 September

8:00 am – 9:00 am 
Continental Breakfast

Block 1: SETTING THE STAGE FOR TOMORROW’S GAMING LAW: GLOBAL GROWTH

8:30 am – 8:50 am
Welcome and Conference Overview from IMGL President, Marc Dunbar

8:50 am – 9:30 am
Developments in Lusophone Jurisdictions: Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Brasil
Featuring gaming lawyers and/or regulators from key Lusophone jurisdictions, to discuss regulatory models, investment opportunities, and enforcement challenges.

Moderator: Pedro Cortes, Managing Partner, Lektou, Macau

9:30 am – 10:15 am
Regulating Without a Playbook: Legal Frameworks for Gaming in Transitional and Restrictive Markets – Lessons from Asia and the Middle East
In many jurisdictions, the regulation of gaming and betting is unfolding in real time—without precedent, without uniformity, and often without a clear legal playbook. This session can offer a comparative legal analysis of five influential and contrasting jurisdictions—India, Singapore, the UAE, the Philippines, and Japan—each at different stages of legal and regulatory evolution.

From India’s high-stakes battles over online skill gaming and taxation to the UAE’s bold move to establish a federal gaming authority, the session can examine how governments are balancing economic opportunity, social values, and international pressure. We’ll assess how the Philippines manages dual roles in regulation and operation, how Japan navigates political opposition in its IR rollout, and how Singapore offers a strict yet stable regulatory model for land-based and digital wagering.

Moderator: Ranjana Adhikari, Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, India
Speakers:
Kok Keng Lau, Head, Intellectual Property, Sports & Gaming, RAJAH & TANN SINGAPORE LLP, Singapore
Marie Antonette Quiogue, Founder, Arden Consult, Philippines

10:15 am – 10:30 am
Networking Break

10:30 am – 11:10 am
From Sweepstakes to Skill: Product Evolution and Crossovers with Video Gaming
As the global gaming industry continues to evolve, new opportunities are emerging across jurisdictions, regions, and product verticals. This session will explore key growth areas, from expanding regulatory markets to innovative gaming formats, analyzing where operators, suppliers, and investors can expect the greatest potential. Panelists will also discuss the strategic, legal, and compliance considerations for entering and succeeding in these dynamic spaces.

Moderator: Phil Sicuso, Partner, Bose McKinney & Evans, United States
Speakers:
Patricia Lalanda, Partner, LOYRA ABOGADOS, Spain
Santiago Alban, Managing Partner, HEKA, Ecuador

11:10 am – 12:05 pm
Navigating Regulation in Africa’s Gaming Industry: Tackling Black Markets, Strengthening Business-Government Relations, and Leveraging Mobile Money
As Africa’s gaming industry continues to grow, regulators face challenges in maintaining a fair and sustainable market while addressing black-market operations and unlicensed gaming platforms. This panel brings together key stakeholders—regulators, gaming operators, financial experts, and policy analysts—to explore how African governments are shaping regulatory frameworks, enforcing compliance, and leveraging technology like mobile money to create a secure and transparent gaming environment.

Moderator: Diane Mullenex, Global Head of the Retail, Sport and Hospitality Sector, Pinsent Masons, France/United Kingdom
Speakers:
Daniel Grabher, Founder & CEO, Mediastream, Austria

12:05 pm – 12:35 pm
Addressing the Costs of Compliance in Legalized Gaming – Evolution and Challenges
As the compliance burden multiplies for international operators, there is a risk of unintended consequences that conflict with the original purpose of regulation. The need to achieve scale to carry the cost of compliance can drive consolidation and reduce consumer choice. Taxing licensed operators more aggressively reduces their ability to innovate and provide competitive products, encouraging players into the black market. The gaming industry’s use of player data is evolving rapidly for commercial and regulatory reasons but, strict data protection laws, like GDPR, create growing challenges in balancing innovation, personalization, and compliance. How can operators and regulators work together to create markets which balance protection of consumers with protection of commercial and treasury interests?

Moderator: Corinne Valletta, General Counsel, Betsson Group, Malta
Speakers:
Marek Plota, Owner, RM Legal Law Firm and Gaming, Poland

12:35 pm – 1:30 pm
IMGL Luncheon: Buffet

Block 2: CHALLENGING NORMS, NAVIGATING COMPLEXITIES

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
RG-basics for the Youth
Numerous studies detail how gambling impacts the well-being and mental health of young people. No less numerous are the risks that youth face in this digital age.

Our panel of experts will tackle the following:

• At what age should RG/PG education begin? Children, adolescents, young adults?
• Who should design/validate guardrail programs for our youth? Educators, mental health
• practitioners, regulators?
• How do we alert the parents to reach out to children?
• Distinguishing between the regulated market and black market
• Engagement and accountability from search engines, online advertising and social media
• How much gaming and gambling interfere?

Moderator: Alfredo Lazcano, Chair, Lazcano Sámano, S.C., Mexico

2:15 pm – 2:55 pm
The convergence of gaming and gambling
The lines between gaming and gambling are increasingly blurred, with loot boxes and similar mechanics raising concerns over their psychological impact on younger audiences. This session will explore how these features mirror gambling behaviours, the risks they pose to vulnerable demographics, and the evolving regulatory responses in Europe and other jurisdictions. The discussion will also examine industry practices, consumer protection strategies, and the challenges of regulating these converging sectors.

Moderator: Simon Planzer, Partner, PLANZER LAW, Switzerland 
Speakers:
Steve Ketteley, Partner, Wiggin, United Kingdom
Nicholas Aquilina, Partner, BRANDL TALOS Attorneys at Law, Austria
Santiago Asensi, Managing Partner and founder, Asensi Abogados, Spain
Dr. Andreas H. Woerlein, Attorney, MELCHERS LAW, Germany

2:55 pm – 3:15 pm
Networking Break

3:15 pm – 3:55 pm
The Crypto Gamble: Opportunities, Risks, and Regulatory Headaches
Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology continue to challenge and disrupt the gambling industry, offering both opportunities for innovation and complex regulatory questions. This session will explore the evolving role of crypto as a payment method in regulated markets, the use of blockchain for transparency, compliance, and player protection, and the legal, financial, and reputational risks associated with these technologies. The discussion will also address how jurisdictions are adapting to crypto in gambling and the outlook for regulatory harmonization—or fragmentation—across markets.

Moderator: Chris Elliott, Partner, Wiggin, United Kingdom
Speakers:
Danielle Bush, Senior Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault, Canada
Dr. Andreas Glarner, Legal Partner, MME, Switzerland
Corinne Valetta, General Counsel, Betsson Group, Malta

3:55 pm – 4:40 pm
From Contracts to Claims: How European Consumer Law Is Reshaping the Player-Operator Relationship
Consumer law is becoming a key driver of player claims in Europe, challenging traditional industry practices around terms and conditions, customer restrictions, and dispute resolution. This session will examine recent developments where consumer protection rules are limiting operators’ ability to impose restrictions, void bets, or enforce certain clauses, highlighting the legal, regulatory, and commercial risks for operators in increasingly consumer-centric markets.

Moderator: Marc Dunbar, Managing Partner, Jones Walker, United States
Speakers:
John Maloney, Owner/Attorney, The Law Offices of John K. Maloney, United States
Marc Ellinger, Founding Partner, Ellinger Bell, United States
Anna Soilleux-Mills, Partner, CMS, United Kingdom
Kate Lowenhar-Fisher, Executive Vice President, Everi, United States

6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
IMGL Gala Dinner
Patio da Gale

Thursday, 18 September

9:00 am – 10:00 am
Continental Breakfast

Block 3:  AI, REGULATION, AND THE NEW INTEGRITY FRONTIER

9:30 am – 10:10 am
Fireside chat
Fireside chat with a seasoned insider

10:10 am – 10:45 am 
AI in the Gaming Industry – Regulatory Challenges, AI Responsibilities, and the Road Ahead
As artificial intelligence continues to transform the gaming industry—from customer profiling and fraud detection to responsible gaming and dynamic odds-making—regulators and operators face unprecedented legal and ethical challenges. This session will explore the evolving regulatory landscape around AI, examining core questions such as:

• How should gaming laws address transparency in AI decision-making – or not?
• Do standards of liability change if AI tools are causing compliance breaches or harm?
• How do data protection, algorithmic bias, and consumer trust intersect in AI-driven systems? I am not completely sure what you wish to discuss here. Could it be changed into: How do you ensure that AI-driven systems comply with data protection rules, leave room for algorithmic bias, and earn the trust of consumers?
• Are current legislation/regulation and oversight frameworks equipped to adapt and keep pace with AI innovation?
• How can AI create win-win solutions for all stakeholders?

Experts from regulatory bodies, the legal community, and AI development will share insights and offer a path forward for responsibly integrating AI into regulated gaming environments.

10:50 am – 11:25 am
Tackling the Unlicensed Threat: Regulatory Strategies to Combat Illegal Gaming Markets
Unlicensed and illegal gaming operators continue to pose a significant challenge to the global gaming industry—undermining consumer protection, fair competition, and the rule of law. This session will explore how regulators and policymakers can respond effectively to this growing threat, especially in an era of increased cross-border digital access and cryptocurrency use.

Key discussion points will include:

• The impact of illegal operators on regulated markets and tax revenues
• Jurisdictional enforcement limitations and international cooperation
• Innovations in geo-blocking, payment blocking, and ISP controls
• The role of player education and industry collaboration in curbing demand
• Legal tensions around freedom of services within the EU and beyond

Speakers:
António Adilson Vitoriano Manuel, Head of Department, Instituto de Supervisão de Jogos, Angola
Anders Dorph, Director, Danish Gambling Authority, Denmark
Crystal C. C. Knowles, Chief Counsel, Bahamas’ Legal Services Department, Bahamas

11:25 am – 11:50 am
Networking Break

11:50 am – 12:30 pm 
Between Protection and Autonomy: Navigating Regulatory Pressure Points in Consumer-Centric Gaming Policy
As regulators strive to protect consumers from gambling-related harm, they face mounting internal pressures—from political mandates, public health advocacy, and media scrutiny—often pushing toward increasingly restrictive policies. Data privacy is in focus, and so are freedom of choice. At the same time, gaming is available in many more shapes and forms and on still more sophisticated platforms. How to protect players and still respect consumers autonomy. This session explores how regulators can maintain legitimacy, effectiveness, and balance these conflicting demands. Topics include:

• The regulatory tipping point: When does consumer protection become overreach?
• Political vs. evidence-based decision-making in gaming regulation
• Transparency and proportionality in affordability checks and mandatory limits
• The risk of pushing players toward the black market through over-regulation or failed regulation
• Reconciling public trust with personal responsibility in gambling behavior

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
IMGL Luncheon Buffet followed by wine tasting experience featuring Portuguese Wine

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
IMGL Closing Reception
Altis Hotel Rooftop  

TBD

Hotel booking is now open! The IMGL has secured a room block at the Altis Grand Hotel from September 13 – September 20 at a special rate of €278 per night, inclusive of breakfast. VAT and local taxes are excluded. 

Book your stay by clicking the link below. Rooms are limited, so book early to ensure your preferred accommodations. The cutoff for booking your room is July 4th. 

Book your room here

Speakers will be posted soon.

Suggestions on activities and restaurants will be posted here soon.

Our conference brochure can be found here with pertinent information on the event included!